Cake Smash 101

How is it already a year already? Your sweet baby is officially about to take their first trip around the sun! It might be a southern thing, but here in North Alabama, most families celebrate with huge birthday parties and smash cake photo sessions. Smash cake sessions sound so simple right? All you need is a happy baby and a yummy cake? How difficult could it be? Just like every day life with a newborn, simple tasks can become quite the opposite very quickly. Here's my quick survival guide to have the best cake smash photo session!

Cake Smash Step 1 - Book Two Weeks Out

When you start planning your baby's first cake smash session, be sure to choose dates that are 1-3 weeks out from your child's first birthday. This should provide your photographer plenty of time to turnaround your gallery prior to both the birthday party and their first birthday! Although our jobs can appear easy from the outside, the turnaround time in our contracts is deliberate. Hours of time go into post processing and editing photos, ESPECIALLY if the session takes place in a studio. Paper backdrops provide a simple and appealing background, but typically result in a hours of photoshop and touchups from the photographer's side.

When you start the initial conversation with your photographer about your cake smash session, make sure that y'all are on the same page when it comes to when you need your gallery back. Are you printing photos for the party? Do you want to make a special post on social media? There may be an additional fee for a quicker turnaround, or your photographer might be able to flip you a small handful of photos before the final gallery is delivered.

Cake Smash Step 2 - Schedule Around Nap Time

If your baby has found a nap routine, plan your session for that beginning pocket of time when he/she is awake! Also plan your session during the time of day that your child is the happiest! If they wake up in the morning smiley, then maybe a mid morning session would be best over a late afternoon.

If your session is planned to be in a studio, keep in mind that your session time is going to be rigid. Rescheduling a studio time can either end in additional fees or not an option due to unavailability. If your session is outdoors or in another public space, you may have flexibility depending on your relationship with your photographer. If your photographer's day is wide open, they may be able to slide your session time throughout the day depending on your baby's schedule and lighting.

So if your child is very much on a routine and a studio is your vibe, then go for it! If your child's day-to-day varies, it may be best to choose an inspiration that doesn't rely on a rented space.

Cake Smash Step 3 - Picking a Theme

Unless this is your photographer's main bread and butter, they might not have many props to choose from for your session. Choosing a theme around the time you book (or even before if we're being honest) should provide you with an amble amount of time to order and purchase any props or outfits you will need. Some photographers may provide a supply fee for them to pick-up and provide balloons and other party supplies for your session. Some photographers might not even get involved when it comes to the props of it all.

Use inspiration from Pinterest or Instagram to draw together a prop list. It will help keep you on track on what and when to purchase items. Share this list with your friends, family, and even your photographer to see if they may have any items that fall in line with this list. If you have a friend or family member that just had a first birthday party or cake smash session, they should be the first person on your list!

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Cake Smash Step 4 - Bring ALL Your Baby's Favorites

With your baby being in a new surrounding and maybe even around a new photographer, he or she may get a little fussy during portions of the session. Bringing a mix of their favorite toys (some aesthetic and some not) to preoccupy your baby during those moments may keep emotions at bay. If the toys make an appearance in the photos, keep in mind that the toy won't be in ALL the photos! It also might be sweet to have their current favorite toys professionally documented!

There is also a tier on which "distractions" you should introduce throughout the session as well. Start off with music or their favorite sounds, then jump to the aesthetic toys, then their non-aesthetic toys. Once you hand your child a toy, taking it away might cause a melt-down. Starting off with sounds obviously involves nothing tangible, and therefore won't be photographed.

Cake Smash Step 5 - Doctor Up the Cake

As an adult, nothing sounds more delightful than shoving handfuls on of cake down our throats. But for a baby that have not had majorly sweet snacks before, icing can be overstimulating. Instead of offering your baby spoonfuls of icing each night leading up the session, consider replacing the icing on the cake with something they're more familiar with like yogurt! Yogurt is also provides a bigger mess than icing since it's not so thick.

When ordering your cake from a bakery, ask them to either leave off the icing. If you do choose to go with icing, avoid fondant! And this goes without saying as well, but avoid any allergens. I was kind of joking before when it comes to spoonfuls of icing, but providing a test run with a cupcake at home might not be a bad idea to double check for any allergies before the session.

Also don't be surprised if you have to force your child's hand into their cake or even hand feed them a few pieces. It takes a few minutes for most babies to warm up to the idea of a cake. Honestly... Sometimes they never do. Some parents have to smear cake on their baby's face to give the illusion that their child was chowing down.

Cake Smash Step 6 - Trust the Process... and Your Photographer

Nothing passes by quicker than a cake smash session! Trust that your photographer captured the best, cutest photos possible. I know I mentioned Instagram and Pinterest earlier in talks about inspiration. And that's all it is... Inspiration. Trying to fully copy a photo of a different baby taken by a different photographer might not be the most realistic expectation. I promise you that your photos will be perfect for you and your family based on the session's circumstances. Heck, some of the photos in your gallery might blow your inspiration away!! Pinterest board? Don't know her.

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With Love,

Kaleigh